


Feel the Fever

by SophieAyase



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/F, Femslash Exchange, Femslash Exchange 2018, Meet-Cute, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-14 01:51:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16030520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophieAyase/pseuds/SophieAyase
Summary: Sae Niijima is a perpetually single workaholic. But that might change when she meets another of Café Leblanc's regular customers.





	Feel the Fever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dryswallow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dryswallow/gifts).



“Refill?” Sojiro hovered the coffee pot above Sae’s mug.

Sae broke out of her reverie. “Mm. Thanks.”

Sojiro chuckled as he poured the dark brew. “Getting distracted when there’s no one here, huh? Should I be worried?”

Sae smiled softly. “No… just thinking.”

“Yeah.” Sojiro sighed. “I get a lot of time to do that around here.” He nodded toward the empty dining room.

“How _do_ you put up with it?” Sae asked between sips. “Going from the central office to working alone is driving me crazy.”

“I’ve always been good at thinking by myself,” Sojiro murmured as he poured himself a cup and leaned against the counter.

Sae chuckled to herself. “Isn’t that what got you into trouble in the first place?”

Sojiro grinned. “Maybe. But at least now I have the occasional customer such as yourself to break things up.” He nodded toward the café door. “And speaking of customers.”

Sae turned as the door opened to reveal a woman, about her height and build, with dark blue hair, heavy makeup, and an all-white outfit. _Like a goth vestal virgin_ , Sae thought bemusedly.

“Sae-san, meet Dr. Tae Takemi” – _Doctor? Must be a professor; no medical doctor would look so outré_ – “our local clinician.” _Oh._

“Charmed.” The doctor’s voice sounded impassive, yet not unfriendly. Mysterious, maybe.

“Doc, meet Sae Niijima. Former prosecutor and a good friend of mine. And the kid’s,” he added significantly.

Tae’s eyes widened just a bit. “Oh, you’re an… _ally_ of his too, huh?”

All of Sae’s prosecutor senses were whirring. _An “ally” – wait, could she be the source of the kid’s medicines?_ But with her years of courtroom experience, she outwardly kept her cool. “I suppose you could say that,” she replied. “Nice to meet you.”

Tae settled herself onto the seat next to Sae. Sojiro raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. Slightly enough that most people wouldn’t have noticed it, but Sae was used to watching the slightest of quirks. “The usual, Doc?” he asked, already turning toward the stove.

“Yeah. Thanks, Boss.” Tae pulled her purse onto the counter, then shook her head, thinking to herself. “I need to wash up,” she muttered, then looked at Sae with a smirk. “Watch my purse, will you?” she joked.

Sae’s gaze followed the doctor as she made her way down the hallway. She was… shapely.

After the washroom door closed, Sojiro turned to Sae with a chuckle. “Looks like you’ve got a fan,” he said.

“How’s that?” Sae took a long swig of her coffee, hoping to hide the blush she could feel spreading over her cheeks.

“Never seen Doc sit at the bar before,” Sojiro replied. “Let alone next to somebody else. She must have taken a liking to you.” He chuckled again.

Sae felt herself raise her own eyebrows. “That doesn’t necessarily mean anything. I’ve had enough women sit next to me to know,” she added under her breath.

“Hey,” Sojiro said seriously. “Don’t ruin something before you’ve started it.”

“I suppose you know something about that?” Sae teased.

Before Sojiro could make a retort, the washroom door opened again, and the doctor strode out with all the confidence of a prosecutor about to try an open-and-shut case. She smiled at Sae, or something like it. Her mouth barely moved, but her eyes seemed to sparkle.

Well, if there _was_ something there, maybe it would be worth trying out…

* * *

An hour and two cups of coffee later, the sun had set over Tokyo.

“I suppose I ought to go,” Tae said lazily. “Thanks, Boss. Delicious as ever.”

“No problem, Doc.”

Tae turned to Sae with a smile. A real, lips-turned-up-at-the-corners smile. “It’s been nice talking to you,” she said.

Sae smiled back. “Likewise,” she said smoothly. Though if she had to be honest, she’d enjoyed listening to the doctor more than she had talking to her. Her voice was almost hypnotic. _If you had to have an operation, it’d be a nice voice to hear through it_ , Sae thought.

“You should come visit me some time,” Tae added. Her eyes sparkled again, this time with something a little darker than before. Or was that Sae’s imagination? “Or… hell, tonight, if you’d like.” _Is that supposed to mean what it sounds like?_

Sae glanced over at Sojiro, who was practically glaring at her. _Go_ , he mouthed.

“I – well, if you’re sure it’s no trouble.” Sae smiled graciously.

A look of surprise came over Tae’s face, as if she hadn’t been expecting that response. “No,” she said as she regained her composure. “No trouble at all.”

“In that case…” Sae looped an arm under her bag and rose from her seat. “Good night, Boss. Thanks as always.”

Sojiro’s soft smile indicated he got the depth of her meaning. “No problem, Sae-san.”

“Shall we go, then?” Tae seemed a bit impatient.

“Let’s.” Sae turned her full attention toward her with a smile. It still felt strange to smile, she thought. After spending so long inhabiting the role of the tough-as-nails prosecutor, she’d almost forgotten how it felt to express emotions other than exasperation.

The next emotion she felt was surprise, as Tae looped an arm through hers. “It’s dangerous for ladies to walk alone at night,” she said dryly.

In her peripheral vision, Sae noticed Sojiro trying not to laugh. “I’ve never had a problem with it,” she murmured. “And unless I’m mistaken, neither have you.”

“You can never be too careful,” Tae replied as she led Sae toward, and out, the door.

“Have fun, kids!” Sojiro called after them, no longer bothering to hold back his amusement.

The cool night air hit them as the door to Leblanc clattered shut behind them. Sae summoned up all her confidence and spoke up. “So, do you take home every pretty girl you meet?” she said, sure to keep her tone ambiguous. Flirtatious or joking: it was up to the other woman to decide.

Tae chuckled. “Only the smart ones.” She twisted her arm to jerk against Sae’s. “And oddly, you’re the first smart one I’ve met in a while.”

Sae nodded to herself as they walked along the street, trying to come up with a response. “You can’t have met many women, then.” She immediately winced. _That_ was borderline rude.

To her relief, Tae just sighed, a little sadly. “Not really. I’ve been a bit solitary the past few years. Not by choice,” she muttered under her breath.

“And now?” Sae prompted.

“Well, thanks to some help, I seem to be getting back on my feet.” Tae shook her head. “Who’d have thought I’d become a respectable family doctor?”

“Career change?”

“Of sorts.” Tae paused. “I used to be heavy into research. Always thought that was what I’d want to do forever. But now…”

Sae nodded, understanding. “But now you see it’s time for a change.”

“Mm. There was a little girl… Treating her was simple enough, but it was.” Tae paused, searching for the right word. “Fulfilling.” She glanced over at Sae. “Sounds like you’ve had a career change too.”

“From one side of the bench to the other, so to speak. Wait.” Sae tilted her head. “How did you know about that?”

“Boss told me. Well, he mentioned a lawyer friend who was becoming a defense attorney. So when I met you, I figured, how many lawyer friends can Boss have?” They both laughed, before Tae stopped. “Well, here we are.”

Sae looked up at the building in front of them. “Your clinic?” she said, not quite wanting to believe it.

“I have an apartment upstairs.” Tae let go of her arm to fish around in her purse. Only then did Sae realize their arms had been linked the whole time. She stood by silently, trying not to feel too ridiculous, till Tae had successfully pulled out her apartment keys. “Well. Shall we?”

Sae nodded and stepped inside. If Boss were willing to vouch for her, and if she were – seemingly – one of the Phantom Thieves’ assistants, she must be all right…

Still, a little test wouldn’t hurt.

“So, I take it you were the Phantom Thieves’ medical supplier.”

Tae chuckled. “I take it you were the Phantom Thieves’ legal brains.”

Sae laughed in reply. Spending time someone so like herself was… refreshing. “I don’t know what I was expecting.”

They reached the top of the stairs. “Really, how many lawyers _can_ Boss know?” Tae said dryly. “Besides, he wouldn’t have brought the kid up if it didn’t mean something to you.”

Sae smiled. “Simple deduction.”

“Simple indeed. Doctors have to make deductions too, you know. We just call them diagnoses.”

“I suppose I’d never thought of it that way before.” Sae settled into a comfortable chair, figuring the other woman wouldn’t be bothered. “So what would you diagnose _me_ with?”

“Hmm.” Tae leaned down to peer directly into Sae’s eyes. “Your pupils are dilating,” she murmured, not breaking eye contact. “I think I’d have to diagnose you with … sexual frustration.”

“Is there a treatment?” Sae purred.

Tae smirked. “I think that’s self-explanatory.”

“Do you know anyone willing to provide it?”

“I just might…”

Sae closed her eyes expectantly. For once, she would let herself be chased down…

A second later, Tae’s mouth met hers, her hand on Sae’s cheek. Strong, but gentle. Just the way Sae liked it. Sae opened her mouth to pull back with a sultry smile.

“Do you think tolerance syndrome will be a problem with this course of treatment?”

“How so?” Tae knew where this was going, but she wanted to hear it.

“A treatment that works well to begin with might not last.”

“Possible,” Tae replied. “But if that happens, there’s plenty of room to… escalate the treatment.”

“I’m sure there is.” This time, Sae leaned forward to kiss Tae, reaching up to brush her hand through the doctor’s short hair. “I think I might need the stronger treatment sooner rather than later.”

**Author's Note:**

> And Then They Fucked.
> 
> This was really fun to write; I've been trying to do something like it for a while but could never get the pieces to come together till now.
> 
> Title comes from the Kylie Minogue song "[Fever](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ELTGmex01w)," which I didn't have in mind at all while writing the story, but it lines up surprisingly well! Maybe it was somewhere in my subconscious?


End file.
